Stick conveyor and inserter for frozen confections

ABSTRACT

There is a drum disposed on a horizontal axis that has spaced apart transverse recesses therein to receive and transport sticks for confections. There are two spaced apart annular grooves in the drum and the drum has a portion thereof that exposes its circumference to rotation within a hopper where sticks are picked up in the transverse recesses. There are throwout fingers which ride in the annular grooves below the bottoms of the transverse recesses in an in position and in an out position. They intersect the recesses thereby in the latter position preventing sticks to enter and be carried by the transverse recesses. The drum discharges the sticks onto a generally horizontal tray that extends generally tangentially adjacent the uppermost portion of the drum. There are feelers associated with the entrance of the tray that extend into the annular grooves in the drum to strip off the sticks from the drum and guide them onto the tray. The sticks are pushed along the tray abutting each other and guided under a top hold down leaf spring or top guide member. An endless belt conveyor picks up the sticks from the discharge end of the tray. A first detector associated with the endless conveyor senses the presence of sticks on the conveyor and causes a solenoid to move the throwout fingers to out position whereupon they prevent sticks from entering the transverse recesses in the drum. A second detector along the conveyor belt senses the absence of sticks on the conveyor belt and causes the throwout fingers under the influence of their solenoid operator to move to the in position in the annular grooves in the drum and the pick up of sticks by the drum resumes. The endless conveyor discharges to a stick inserter that moves the sticks endwise in succession at the discharge station. There is a pusher that rocks and moves each successive stick endwise between a pair of continuously running knurled rolls. These move a stick endwise into a holding clamp and the next stick moved by the rolls pushes the head stick into a partially frozen and formed confection as it leaves an extruder head where it is chopped off as by a hot wire. The hot wire is timed to operate with the conveyor and a cam on the operating shaft that rotates the hot wire closes a microswitch to a solenoid that rocks the pusher arm moving each stick in succession off of the conveyor and between the continuously running feed rolls.

United States Patent Robert Taylor Glass 415 W. 6th St., Austin, Tex.78701 [211 App]. No. 758,320

[22 Filed Sept. 9, 1968 [45] Patented Jan. 12, 1971 [72] Inventor [54]STICK CONVEYOR AND lNSERTER-FOR FROZEN Primary Examiner-Laverne D.Geiger Assistant Examiner-Robert 1. Smith ArrorneyBeale and JonesABSTRACT: There is a drum disposed on a horizontal axis that has spacedapart transverse recesses therein to receive and transport sticks forconfections. There are two spaced apart annular grooves in the drum andthe drum has a portion thereof that exposes its circumference torotation within a hopper where sticks are picked up in the transverserecesses. There are throwout fingers which ride in the annular groovesbelow the bottoms of the transverse recesses in an in position and in anout position. They intersect the recesses thereby in the latter positionpreventing sticks to enter and be carried by the transverse recesses.The drum discharges the sticks onto a generally horizontal tray thatextends generally tangentially adjacent the uppermost portion of thedrum. There are feelers associated with the entrance of the tray thatextend into the annular grooves in the drum to strip off the sticks fromthe drumand guide them onto the tray. The sticks are pushed along thetray abutting each other and guided under a top hold down leaf spring ortop guide member. An endless beit conveyor picks up the sticks from thedischarge end of the tray. A first detector associated with the endlessconveyor senses the presence of sticks on the conveyor and causes asolenoid to move the throwout fingers to out position whereupon theyprevent sticks from entering the transverse recesses in the drum. Asecond detector along the conveyor belt senses the absence of sticks onthe conveyor belt and causes the throwout fingers under the influence oftheir solenoid operator to move to the in position in the annulargrooves in the drum and the pick up of sticks by the drum resumes. Theendless conveyor discharges to a stick inserter that moves the sticksendwise in succession at the discharge station. There is a pusher thatrocks and moves each successive stick endwise between a pair ofcontinuously running knurled rolls. These move a stick endwise into aholding clamp and the next stick moved by the rolls pushes the headstick into a partially frozen and formed confection as it leaves anextruder head where it is chopped off as by a hot wire. The hot wire istimed to operate with the'conveyor and a cam on the operating shaft thatrotates the hot wire closes a microswitch to a solenoid that rocks thepusher arm moving each stick in succession off of the conveyor andbetween the continuously running feed rolls.

'ro com/R. MOTOR OF FREEZER 'PATENTED m 2m sum 1 HF 3 'INVENTOR Ro as/PrTAYLOR GLASS A TTORNEYS same (If 3- PATEMB .Jmlzpn'IIII'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII PATENTED mu 2 I97! sum 3 OF 3 STICKCONVEYOR AND INSERTER FOR FROZEN CONFECTIONS I I An alternativeconstruction is toomit the tray that transfers the sticks from the pickup drum to the endless conveyor. In this case, the endless belt is leadabout the drum within the annular groove or grooves provided. Thethrowout fingers ride in part of the grooves and outside the belts so asto move out and across the transverse recesses to prevent stick entrywhen it is desired to not pick up sticks. Otherwise, th'e'surface of thebelt is even with or below the bottom of the transverse recesses andallows the, sticks to be picked up in the recesses. The upper run of thebelt or belts leaving the annular grooves of the drum carries away thesticks from the drum.

This stick conveyor and inserter provides for the use of bulk sticks andtheir feed to an inserter stationQAtthe inserter station the sticks areinserted into ice cream confections of odd shapes that are extruded insemifrozen state, before final freezing, instead of being molded. Theseodd shapes, such as a heart shape, club shape, etc. cannot bepractically molded in an automatic continuous process, so they .must beextruded.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of theinvention reference is had -to the drawings and the description whichfollows. In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of the stick conveyor and inserter;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of a modification;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view along line 3-3 of FIG. 1 of the feed drum orwheel on a slightly enlarged scale;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along linef4-4 of FIG; 3;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view similar to FIG. 3 of a modificationsuch as FIG. 2 showing three belts;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view like FIG. 5 of a modification showingone belt; FIG. 7 is a general top plan view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view along line 8-8 of FIG. 7 on an enlargedscale;

reference numbers refer to 2. A slotted drum or wheel for picking up thesticks from the pp 3. A conveyor to transfer the sticks to the place ofinsertion. 4. An insertion-mechanism to insert the stick into partiallyfrozen ice cream. v

5. A means of maintaining a full, but not overfull conveyor so that astick is always ready for insertion.

6. A means of timing the sticking operation to the machine.

The stick feeder and inserter machine is generally indicated at 10 inFIGS. 1 and 7.

An angle iron framework with support plates is generally indicated at 11to support the various components. A hopper 12 receives sticks from abulk container 13 with the sticks oriented parallel to each other. Inrunning in the hopper 12 is A constant speed continuously running motor16 has a drive pulley 16a driving a belt 17 passing over a pulley 14d onthe drum shaft 140. A triangular plate member 17 on shaft 14a moves anarm 17a rigidly connected to a pivotally mounted agitator arm 17b in thestick hopper'12. This arm 17b agitates the sticks and causes them tomove'do'wnwardly to the feed drum l4.

The sticks are picked up in the transverse recesses 14b in the drum 14and pass under a bar 18 that limits one stick to a recess.

A horizontally disposed tray 19 extends generally tangentially to the'top 'of the drum l4 and receives the sticks in side by side relation.Feelers 20, see FIG. 4, extend from the end of the entrance of the trayinto the annular grooves 14c in the drum and below the transverserecesses 14b so that the sticks ride on top of the feelers onto the tray19. Spring clips 21, see FIG. 4, are mounted spaced above the feelers 20and assist in the movement of the sticks onto the tray 19. Hold downbars 22 are positioned above the ends of the sticks on the tray.

An endless belt conveyor: is generally indicated at 23. It ishorizontally disposed in theframework and has an endless belt 23a thatpasses over anidler pulley 23b at its stick receiving end at thedischarge end of tray 19. It passes over a drive pulley 230 on driveshaft ,23d at its stick delivery end. A constant speed continuous motor24having a drive pulley 24a drives a belt 25 that passes over a drivepulley 23e on conveyor drive shaft 23d.

The sticks are moved along the tray 19 by one pushing against anotherand are deposited on endless conveyor belt 23a. The sticks are movedalong the conveyor belt 230 to the end where their motion is stopped byhorizontal stop 25 where -they wait to be moved in a direction 90? totheir previous movement, to be inserted into the ice cream confection.

The solenoid 15b controlling the in and out positioning of the throwoutfinger 15 is under the control of limit switches operated by feelersalong the conveyor 23.

When the conveyor belt 230 is full of sticks to the point A, the sticksactuate a feeler 26a for limit switch 26 which is in a power circuit(not shown) with solenoid 15b. Solenoid 15b moves the throwout finger 15to out position to partially fill the transverse recesses 14!; so thatno more sticks can be picked up and transferred to the conveyor 23.

As the conveyor belt 23a runs and the last stick of the supply of stickson it moves past point B, feeler 27a actuates limit switch 27 also inthe power circuit (not shown) to the solenoid 15b. The absence ofa stickat B is sensed by the limit switch 27 and solenoid 15b is actuated tomove the throwout fingers 15 into the annular grooves 140 in the drum somore sticks may be picked up and transferred to the conveyor 23 until itis full to point A.

There is an extruder for the ice cream confection generally indicated at28. A hot wire cutter or chopper 29 affixed to the top end of verticalshaft 290, see FIG. 8, rotates past the end of extruder 28 and severs orchops off an extruded ice cream confection C. The shaft 29a is driven bya shaft from the freezing conveyor of the associated machine.

a stick pickup drum or wheel l4 rotated'on a horizontal shaft 14a havingequally spaced apart transverse stick receiving recesses 14b in itsperipheral surface. The drum 14 has two spaced apart annular grooves140, see FIG. 3, whose bottoms are spaced below the bottoms of therecesses 14b. These annular grooves 140 receivethrowout fingers 15 thatare pivotally mounted at 150 below the hopper l2 and extend around aportion of the periphery of the drum exposed in the hopper. The fingers15 in the in position in the grooves 14c have their outer surfaces belowthe bottom of the stickrecesses 14b and permit sticks to be-picked up inthe recesses. In theout position of'the throwout fingers 15, the fingersintersect the transverse recesses and prevent the pickup of sticksrAsolenoid 15b. I

On shaft 294 there is affixed a cam 29b'whose lobe-at the time of thehot wire cutting actuates a microswitch 30 in circuit with a solenoid31. Solenoid 31 has its armature rod 31a pivotally connected to apivoted rocker arm or stick pusher 32' pivotally mounted at 32a. Theupper end of rocker arm 32 has a pusher head that pushes the end stick9-2 that i'sadjacent stop 25 in between two constantly in-r'unningknurled surface rolls 33-3. The stick is very rapidly pushed toward theice cream confection that is being extruded from the extruder 28.Sticks-2 pushes previously pushed stick 8-! into the confection C. Theaction is fastenough that there isvery little lack of perper'idicularitybetween the inserted stick and the confection C.

The momentum and movement of stick 5-2 is stopped by springloaded stopsgenerally indicated at 34. It haspassed between rolls 33-33 and has nomeans of receiving endwise 7 forward motion until another stick ispushed between the constantly running rolls 33-33.

The stops 34 are made up of a bed plate 35 on whose top is mountedspaced apart guide bars 36 at the entrance end. Pivotally mounted stops37 are mounted on the bed plate 35 pivot pins 37a at the ends of theguide bars 36. The ends of the stops are curved in at 37b so as to stopthe curved end of the stick. Each pivoted stop 37 is spring pressedinwardly towards the stick by leaf springs 38 secured to the bars 36.

In FIGS. 2, and 6 there is illustrated a modification. Here an endlessconveyor belt 39 passes over an idler pulley 40 on its lower run. Fromthe idler pulley the belt 39 passes to the stick pick up drum 41 whereit, as shown in the three belt type in FIG. 5 or one belt type in FIG.6, as examples, rides in appropriate annular grooves in the drum 41. InFIG. 5 the three belts 39a, 39b, 39c ride in grooves 41a, 41b, 410. InFIG. 60 single belt type 39d rides in annular groove 41d. In each caseas before the annular grooves are below the transverse recesses in thedrum that receives the sticks. There are throwoff fingers as beforearranged in a part of the grooves and outside the belts therein as forFIG. 5 so as to move out and across the transverse recesses to preventstick entry.

In FIG. 6, the annular grooves that receive the throwout fin gers l5ride in separate grooves 41c and 41f to each side of the belt groove41d.

While limit switches 26 and 27 with their feelers are shown anddescribed, other proximity sensing devices could be used such asphotoelectric cells.

There is here provided a positive acting stick feeder for bulk sticks toprovide a constant supply to a stick inserter. The stick inserteroperates in timed relation with the conveyor as does the hot wire cutteror chopper that is synchronized to cut off an extruded confection as astick is being inserted. The confection with stick inserted drops onto aconveyor of a freezer for further freezing.

I claim:

1. A stick feeder and inserter for frozen confections comprising incombination:

a hopper for receiving a supply of sticks;

a drum having a portion of the surface rotating in said hopper andhaving transverse stick receiving recesses in the surface thereof, atleast one annular groove in the circumferential surface in communicationwith and crossing the transverse recesses;

a throwout finger movably mounted and riding in said annular groove inthe drum and means connected with the finger to move it with respect tosaid transverse recesses to selectively permit sticks to enter thetransverse recesses and prevent sticks from entering said transverserecesses;

a conveyor means cooperating with said drum and receiving stickstransferred from the drum in side by side relation extendingtransversely of said conveyor means;

a detection means for sticks along said conveyor means and operablyconnected with said means for moving the throwout finger whereby absenceof sticks causes said throwout finger means to move the finger into itsannular groove and the presence of sticks causes said means to move thethrowout finger across said transverse recesses to prevent entrance ofsticks therein whereby a supply of sticks is maintained on said conveyormeans; and

means adjacent the delivery end of the conveyor means to move the stickssuccessively transverse to the conveyor and into a frozen confectionadjacent the conveyor means.

2. A stick feeder and inserter for frozen confections according to claim1 wherein the detection means for the sticks adjacent said conveyormeans comprises a first detector and a second detector spaced furtheralong in the line of travel of said sticks on the conveyor:

said first detector detecting the presence of sticks and operablyconnected to said means moving said throwout finger whereby the fingeris moved to partially fill the transverse recesses in the drum and nosticks are picked up by the drum;

said second detector detecting the absence of sticks and operablyconnected to said means moving said throwout finger whereby the fingeris moved into its groove and from obstructing the transverse recessesand sticks are again picked up and fed to the conveyor means by th drum;and

said first finger on again detecting the presence of sticks on theconveyor means causes said means moving said throwout finger to againmove into said transverse recesses preventing sticks being picked up bythe drum.

3. A stick feeder and inserter for frozen confections according to claim1 including agitator means in the hopper urging said sticks intoengagement with said transverse recesses in the drum.

4. A stick feeder and inserter for frozen confections according to claim1 wherein said conveyor means includes a tray at the discharge of saiddrum upon which the sticks are received and pushed along side by side bythe rearmost stick and an endless belt conveyor at the discharge end ofsaid tray to receive said sticks.

5. A stick feeder and inserter for frozen confections according to claim4 wherein said tray includes a feeder member extending at the entranceend of the tray into said annular groove in the drum to guide the sticksonto said tray.

6. A stick feeder and inserter for frozen confections according to claim5 including spring means over the sticks on said tray holding saidsticks in side by side alignment on said tray.

7. A stick feeder and inserter for frozen confections comprising incombination:

a hopper for receiving a supply of sticks;

a drum having its axis extending horizontally and having a portion ofthe surface rotating in said hopper and having in its circumferentialsurface spaced apart transversely extending stick receiving recesses, atleast one annular groove in the circumferential surface in communicationwith and crossing said transverse recesses;

a throwout finger means movably mounted and riding in a portion of saidannular groove in the drum and means connected with the finger to moveit in the groove with respect to said transverse recesses to selectivelypermit sticks to enter the transverse recesses as well as prevent sticksfrom entering the recesses;

an endless conveyor means having its belt at one end riding in saidgroove in the drum and radially beneath the surface of the transverserecesses and the sticks picked up therein;

said endless belt carrying off said sticks thereon as it leaves the drumon its top run; and

a detection means for sticks along said conveyor means and operablyconnected with said means for moving the throwout finger whereby absenceof sticks causes said throwout finger means to move the finger into itsannular groove portion and the presence of sticks causes said means tomove the throwout finger across said transverse recesses in the drum toprevent receipt of sticks therein whereby a supply of sticks ismaintained on said endless conveyor means.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 including means adjacent the deliveryend of the endless conveyor means to move the sticks successivelytransverse to the conveyor and into a frozen confection adjacent theconveyor belt means.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the detection means for thesticks adjacent said conveyor means comprises a first detector and asecond detector spaced further along in the line of travel of saidsticks on the conveyor:

said first detector detecting the presence of sticks and operablyconnected to said means moving said throwout finger whereby the fingeris moved to partially fill the transverse recesses in the drum and nosticks are picked up by the drum;

said second detector detectingthe absence of sticks and operablyconnected to said means moving said throwout finger whereby the fingeris moved into its groove and from obstructing the transverse recessesand sticks are again picked up and fed tothe conveyor means by the drum;and

said first finger on again detecting the presence of sticks on theconveyor means causes said means moving said throwout finger to againmove into said transverse recesses preventing sticks being picked up bythe drum.

10. An apparatus according to claim 7'wherein the drum has a separateannular groove within which the belt runs and a pair of annular groovesfor the throwout finger, one of each disposed to theside of groovecarrying the belt.

11. A stickfeeder and inserter for frozen confections comprising incombination: v p p a hopper for receiving a supply of sticks;

a drum having a portion of the surface rotating in said hopper andhaving transverse stick receiving recesses in the surface thereof, atleast one annular groove in the circumferential surface in communicationwith and crossing the transverse recesses;

a throwout finger movably mounted and riding in said annular groove inthe drum and means connected with the finger to move it with respect tosaid transverse recesses to selectively permit sticks to enter thetransverse recesses and prevent sticks from entering said transverserecesses;

' a conveyor means cooperating with said drum and receiving stickstransferred from the drum in side by side relation extendingtransversely of said conveyormeans; and

a detection means for sticks along said conveyor means and operablyconnected with said means for moving the throwout finger whereby absenceof sticks causes said throwout finger means to move the finger into itsannular groove and the presence of sticks causes said means to move thethrowout finger across said transverse recesses to prevent entrance ofsticks therein whereby a supply of sticks is maintained on said conveyormeans.

12. In combination with a continuously running conveyor carryingelongated sticks in side byside relation thereon to a stop position, astick inserter for moving each successive stick endwise intoa confectionwhile simultaneously being extruded and severed, said stick inserterhaving:

a pair of in-running high speed rolls continuously driven;

a rocker arm pusher adjacent said conveyor at the stopped position ofthe stick pushing each stick arriving at said stop position;

means rocking said arm in timed relation with the severing and extrudingof said confection;

said rocker arm pushing each successive stick in between said in-runningrolls;

a spring-loaded stop receiving each stick moved on by said rolls;

said spring-loaded stop having a guide between which said stick isreceived and moves, a pair of pivotally mounted spaced apart stop armsadjacent said guide in the direction of movement of the stick, said stoparms having inturned ends opposite their pivoted ends against which saidstick end is stopped and springs urging each stop arm pivoted towardseach other; and

whereby on pushing of a first stick between said rolls said first stickis moved between the rolls and arrested in said spring-loaded stopbetween said pivoted stops, at second stick on being pushed by saidrocker arm pusher, pushes said first stick in a shooting manner intosaid confection being extruded and severed.

13. Apparatus according to claim 12 including rotating severing meansfor severing the extruded confection, said severing means having movablemounting means moved in timed relation with said conveyor:

said means rocking said rocker arm pusher including a solenoid actuatorattached to said arm, a power source connected through a switch meanswith said solenoid; and switch actuating means connected with saidmovable mounting means for said severing means whereby the switch isclosed to energize said solenoid and rock said rocker arm pusher as saidextruded confection is being severed.

14. Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said movable mounting meansfor the severing means is a shaft rotated in timed relation by saidconveyor motor, said switch actuating means for the solenoid isa cammounted on and rotating with said shaft and moving said switch to closedposition each time said severing means severs a confection.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3, 554,138 Dated January 12, 1971 Inventor(s) ROBERT TAYLOR GLASS It iscertified that error appears in the above-identified patent and thatsaid Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 4, line 22, cancel "feeder" and insert --feeler--.

Signed and sealed this 20th day of April 1971.

(SEAL) Attest:

WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR.

EDWARD MELETCHER, JR.

Commissionerof Patents Attesting Officer n a e r n u n-hf' 50375

1. A stick feeder and inserter for frozen confections comprising in combination: a hopper for receiving a supply of sticks; a drum having a portion of the surface rotating in said hopper and having transverse stick receiving recesses in the surface thereof, at least one annular groove in the circumferential surface in communication with and crossing the transverse recesses; a throwout finger movably mounted and riding in said annular groove in the drum and means connected with the finger to move it with respect to said transverse recesses to selectively permit sticks to enter the transverse recesses and prevent sticks from entering said transverse recesses; a conveyor means cooperating with said drum and receiving sticks transferred from the drum in side by side relation extending transversely of said conveyor means; a detection means for sticks along said conveyor means and operably connected with said means for moving the throwout finger whereby absence of sticks causes said throwout finger means to move the finger into its annular groove and the presence of sticks causes said means to move the throwout finger across said transverse recesses to prevent entrance of sticks therein whereby a supply of sticks is maintained on said conveyor means; and means adjacent the delivery end of the conveyor means to move the sticks successively transverse to the conveyor and into a frozen confection adjacent the conveyor means.
 2. A stick feeder and inserter for frozen confections according to claim 1 wherein the detection means for the sticks adjacent said conveyor means comprises a first detector and a second detector spaced further along in the line of travel of said sticks on the conveyor: said first detector detecting the presence of sticks and operably connected to said means moving said throwout finger whereby the finger is moved to partially fill the transverse recesses in the drum and no sticks are picked up by the drum; said second detector detecting the absence of sticks and operably connected to said means moving said throwout finger whereby the finger is moved into its groove and from obstructing the transverse recesses and sticks are again picked up and fed to the conveyor means by the drum; and said first finger on again detecting the presence of sticks on the conveyor means causes said means moving said throwout finger to again move into said transverse recesses preventing sticks being picked up by the druM.
 3. A stick feeder and inserter for frozen confections according to claim 1 including agitator means in the hopper urging said sticks into engagement with said transverse recesses in the drum.
 4. A stick feeder and inserter for frozen confections according to claim 1 wherein said conveyor means includes a tray at the discharge of said drum upon which the sticks are received and pushed along side by side by the rearmost stick and an endless belt conveyor at the discharge end of said tray to receive said sticks.
 5. A stick feeder and inserter for frozen confections according to claim 4 wherein said tray includes a feeder member extending at the entrance end of the tray into said annular groove in the drum to guide the sticks onto said tray.
 6. A stick feeder and inserter for frozen confections according to claim 5 including spring means over the sticks on said tray holding said sticks in side by side alignment on said tray.
 7. A stick feeder and inserter for frozen confections comprising in combination: a hopper for receiving a supply of sticks; a drum having its axis extending horizontally and having a portion of the surface rotating in said hopper and having in its circumferential surface spaced apart transversely extending stick receiving recesses, at least one annular groove in the circumferential surface in communication with and crossing said transverse recesses; a throwout finger means movably mounted and riding in a portion of said annular groove in the drum and means connected with the finger to move it in the groove with respect to said transverse recesses to selectively permit sticks to enter the transverse recesses as well as prevent sticks from entering the recesses; an endless conveyor means having its belt at one end riding in said groove in the drum and radially beneath the surface of the transverse recesses and the sticks picked up therein; said endless belt carrying off said sticks thereon as it leaves the drum on its top run; and a detection means for sticks along said conveyor means and operably connected with said means for moving the throwout finger whereby absence of sticks causes said throwout finger means to move the finger into its annular groove portion and the presence of sticks causes said means to move the throwout finger across said transverse recesses in the drum to prevent receipt of sticks therein whereby a supply of sticks is maintained on said endless conveyor means.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 7 including means adjacent the delivery end of the endless conveyor means to move the sticks successively transverse to the conveyor and into a frozen confection adjacent the conveyor belt means.
 9. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the detection means for the sticks adjacent said conveyor means comprises a first detector and a second detector spaced further along in the line of travel of said sticks on the conveyor: said first detector detecting the presence of sticks and operably connected to said means moving said throwout finger whereby the finger is moved to partially fill the transverse recesses in the drum and no sticks are picked up by the drum; said second detector detecting the absence of sticks and operably connected to said means moving said throwout finger whereby the finger is moved into its groove and from obstructing the transverse recesses and sticks are again picked up and fed to the conveyor means by the drum; and said first finger on again detecting the presence of sticks on the conveyor means causes said means moving said throwout finger to again move into said transverse recesses preventing sticks being picked up by the drum.
 10. An apparatus according to claim 7 wherein the drum has a separate annular groove within which the belt runs and a pair of annular grooves for the throwout finger, one of each disposed to the side of groove carrying the belt.
 11. A stick feeder and inserter for frozen confections comprising in combination: a hopper for receiving a supply of sticks; a drum having a portion of the surface rotating in said hopper and having transverse stick receiving recesses in the surface thereof, at least one annular groove in the circumferential surface in communication with and crossing the transverse recesses; a throwout finger movably mounted and riding in said annular groove in the drum and means connected with the finger to move it with respect to said transverse recesses to selectively permit sticks to enter the transverse recesses and prevent sticks from entering said transverse recesses; a conveyor means cooperating with said drum and receiving sticks transferred from the drum in side by side relation extending transversely of said conveyor means; and a detection means for sticks along said conveyor means and operably connected with said means for moving the throwout finger whereby absence of sticks causes said throwout finger means to move the finger into its annular groove and the presence of sticks causes said means to move the throwout finger across said transverse recesses to prevent entrance of sticks therein whereby a supply of sticks is maintained on said conveyor means.
 12. In combination with a continuously running conveyor carrying elongated sticks in side by side relation thereon to a stop position, a stick inserter for moving each successive stick endwise into a confection while simultaneously being extruded and severed, said stick inserter having: a pair of in-running high speed rolls continuously driven; a rocker arm pusher adjacent said conveyor at the stopped position of the stick pushing each stick arriving at said stop position; means rocking said arm in timed relation with the severing and extruding of said confection; said rocker arm pushing each successive stick in between said in-running rolls; a spring-loaded stop receiving each stick moved on by said rolls; said spring-loaded stop having a guide between which said stick is received and moves, a pair of pivotally mounted spaced apart stop arms adjacent said guide in the direction of movement of the stick, said stop arms having inturned ends opposite their pivoted ends against which said stick end is stopped and springs urging each stop arm pivoted towards each other; and whereby on pushing of a first stick between said rolls, said first stick is moved between the rolls and arrested in said spring-loaded stop between said pivoted stops, a second stick on being pushed by said rocker arm pusher, pushes said first stick in a shooting manner into said confection being extruded and severed.
 13. Apparatus according to claim 12 including rotating severing means for severing the extruded confection, said severing means having movable mounting means moved in timed relation with said conveyor: said means rocking said rocker arm pusher including a solenoid actuator attached to said arm, a power source connected through a switch means with said solenoid; and switch actuating means connected with said movable mounting means for said severing means whereby the switch is closed to energize said solenoid and rock said rocker arm pusher as said extruded confection is being severed.
 14. Apparatus according to claim 13 wherein said movable mounting means for the severing means is a shaft rotated in timed relation by said conveyor motor, said switch actuating means for the solenoid is a cam mounted on and rotating with said shaft and moving said switch to closed position each time said severing means severs a confection. 